Spinning-top.



PATENTED MAR. 22, 1904.

J. M. BUTCHER.

SPINNING TOP.

APPLIOATION FILED FEB. 12, 1903.

NO MODEL.

avwem foz Patented March 22, 1904.

UNITED STATES ATENT rricn.

JAMES M. BUTCHER, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE AS- SIGNMENTS, TO VVORLDS FAIR NOVELTY COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF MISSOURI.

SPINNING-TOP- SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 755,446, dated March 22, 1904..

I Application filed February 12, 1903. Serial No. 143,008. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J AMES M. BUTCHER, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at the city of St. Louis and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Spinning-Tops; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to whichit appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the characters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in spinning-tops, my object being to provide a toy of this class which shall be of simple, novel, and ingenious construction; and to this end the invention consists of a spindle carrying a pinion and a relatively large disk, both of which are made fast thereto and inclosed by a spherical case or shell having bearings engaged by the extremities of the spindle, which spindle extremities, as shown in the drawings, are tapered or cone-shaped. This shell or casing is provided with a tubular guide open at both ends and passing in such proximity to the spindle that the cogs of the pinion enter an opening in the side of the tube, whereby a toothed or cogged operating rod or rack passed into the tube and suddenly withdrawn while in engagement with the pinion imparts rapid rotary motion to the spindle and disk, which at first rotate independently of the shell, the latter being held in the hand of the operator. The shell may then be placed upon a suitable surface and given a whirling movement, and it will increase in velocity until the shell has acquired a speed equal to the speed of the rotary parts within, since the friction between the shell and the spindle at the bearing-points has a tendency to cause the shell to rotate at the same speed as the spindle, and this will gradually be acquired by the shell. The result-is that the shell or visible portion of the device increases .in speed for a considerable time after it is set in motion without any cause which is apparent to the observer, thus giving the devlce an element of mystery, which adds greatly to its attraction as a toy. If placed in any position upon a smooth surface and left to itself after the disk-carrying spindle is set in motion, the shell will roll over the surface as long as the momentum of the disk is sufficient for the purpose.

Having outlined my improved construction and pointed out some of the novel features of the top, I will proceed to describe the same in detail, reference. being made to the accompanying drawings, in which is illustrated an embodiment thereof.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation of my improved top. Fig. 2 is a section taken through the shell on the line 2 2, Fig. 1. Fig. 8 is a detail view of the actuating-rod. Fig. 4 is a section taken on the line 4 4, Fig. 2, showing the actuating-rod in place.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all the views.

Let the numeral 5 designate a spindle whose extremities 5, as shown in the drawings, are cone shaped to engage bearing recesses formed in a spherical shell 7 Each bearingrecess is formed by pressing the metal outwardly to form spinning points 7 for the top. The shell 7 is originally formed in two parts, which areapplied to the spindle and fastened together by soldering or otherwise, as may be desired. As shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, the two parts of the shell are detachable, one being provided with a pin A, which engages an annular slot B, whereby the two parts are interlocked and may be made to fit so tight that they will retain their relative position under ordinary circumstances. To one half of the shell is applied a guide-tube 8, which is so located that the pinion 9, fast on the central part of the spindle, protrudes into an opening 8*, formed in the tube. The disk 10 is made fast to the spindle as near its center as convenient. The disk is preferably made of metal and is therefore comparatively heavy to increase the momentum resulting from the spinning impulse.

The actuating-rod 12 is cogged or toothed on both sides and when inserted in the guide 8 engages the pinion G. When the shell is held in the hand of the user, the rod while in engagement with the pinion is suddenly withdrawn from the tube, thereby imparting rapid motion to the spindle and its attachments, as heretofore explained. The device may then be made to spin on either tip 7 or given a rolling motion under the influence of the r0- tating spindle, which has frictional engagement with the shell,and therefore imparts motion thereto when the shell is free to move.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. A toy comprising a shell, a weighted spindle inclosed by the shell and whose extremities engage bearings therein permitting independent movement of the two parts, a gear fast on the spindle, and an open-ended guide-tube made fast to the shell and having an opening into which the cogs of the gear protrude.

2. The combination of a shell, a spindle journaled therein, a disk fast on the spindle, a gear also fast on the spindle, a guide-tube fast on the shell and open to receive the cogs of the spindle, and arranged to permit the insertion of an operating device tangential to the gear.

3. The combination of a spherical shell, a spindle revolubly mounted therein, a pinion applied to the spindle, a disk also applied to the spindle, and a guide-tube fast on the shell and registering with openings therein to permit the insertion of an operating device, the guide-tube having an opening into which the cogs of the pinion protrude.

4c. The combination of a shell, a spinning device inclosed thereby and taking bearing therein to permit independent movement, and a device for operating the spinning device, the shell being provided with a guide whereby the operating device is made to move in a straight line and in operative engagement with the spinning device.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES M. BUTCHER. 

